The Telescope

Issue Date: 11/16/09

Reluctance to read threatens education

Our Viewpoint

People need to read more. Especially students.

Reading provides a well-rounded education and a lack of readers poses numerous problems.

In the documentary '2 Million Minutes,' which compares the education systems of China, India and the U.S., the filmmakers point out the stark contrast between the ways students study across the globe. In India and China, students further themselves through education. In America, students, even those on the honor roll, seem to concentrate more on extra-curricular activities and social life. American students focus on the wrong things.

A Gallup poll on reading habits in the United States found that only about half of Americans are currently reading a book. But it gets worse.

In age groups over 30, the percentages of people currently reading a book are around 50 percent, but those numbers are more than 10 percent higher than for people younger than 30.

Part of the problem is that not enough emphasis is placed on education in the home. Starting from childhood, many parents do not encourage their children to learn how to read well and often. These children grow up to be college students who don't care about reading.

Rather than challenging ourselves to read more we rely on the wrong forms of media for information. Books and newspapers include important information that can't be found in a blurb or by scanning the Internet.

People prefer to watch their stories on the big screen instead of picking up a book. The movie industry has admitted to dumbing down its scripts and characters and is gearing the visual aspect of its films toward marketability in foreign countries. This is not the best form of education.

But what are we supposed to do when even libraries are becoming media centers? From elementary schools to colleges, students are taught to go online to find resources for papers. There is nothing wrong with using the Internet or other types of technology, but we shouldn't limit ourselves. For instance Wikipedia should be used as a starting point, not a reference point.

Students are too intimidated to learn how to use the library's resources. Earlier this year, Palomar's library received a grant to help alleviate "library anxiety." Hopefully that can help, because without an interest in reading, libraries and newspapers will continue to close.

Reading doesn't have to be boring; if it is, you're reading the wrong things. Materials are cheap and easy to access. It's time for students to put down the remote and pick up a book or newspaper.

Page 1 of 1

Article Tools